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Paul Pogba on Neymar Barcelona exit

The bit that sticks with me from Pogba's story is Messi's reaction. Back in summer 2017, Neymar told Pogba he was off to Paris, and Pogba clocked that Leo wasn't pleased about it, at least until Messi said to just let Neymar do what he wants. Neymar later confirmed to Pogba that Messi had wanted him to stay, but by then the call was already made. Pogba's take is that he told Neymar to hear Leo out, since Messi reads football better than almost anyone and has a clear sense of what serves a player's career. Put Pogba in that position and he says he'd have taken Messi's advice, full stop. He also thinks Leo had it right, and that staying at Barcelona would have sent Neymar down a completely different path. Learning next to the best footballer in the world only lifts your game, in his view, and he'd have loved to swap places and rack up plenty in football himself. Whether Neymar looks back with regret is something Pogba leaves open.

2h

Footy News@Footynews

Follow

Paul Pogba on Neymar Barcelona exit

The bit that sticks with me from Pogba's story is Messi's reaction. Back in summer 2017, Neymar told Pogba he was off to Paris, and Pogba clocked that Leo wasn't pleased about it, at least until Messi said to just let Neymar do what he wants. Neymar later confirmed to Pogba that Messi had wanted him to stay, but by then the call was already made. Pogba's take is that he told Neymar to hear Leo out, since Messi reads football better than almost anyone and has a clear sense of what serves a player's career. Put Pogba in that position and he says he'd have taken Messi's advice, full stop. He also thinks Leo had it right, and that staying at Barcelona would have sent Neymar down a completely different path. Learning next to the best footballer in the world only lifts your game, in his view, and he'd have loved to swap places and rack up plenty in football himself. Whether Neymar looks back with regret is something Pogba leaves open.

2h